Greek opposition leader demands hard concessions for Macedonia deal

MUNICH — Greece should only accept a deal to rename the Republic of Macedonia as part of a broad agreement that would also compel Skopje to change its constitution and disavow irredentist claims, the leader of Greece's largest opposition party said.

Athens is under pressure from Western allies to resolve a long-running dispute with Skopje over the name Macedonia, which is also a region in northern Greece that has been closely intertwined with Greek culture and identity for thousands of years. Those tensions have forced Skopje to use the name Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia internationally and blocked any chance for the Balkan country to join either the EU or NATO.

"It has to be a package deal," Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the leader of Greece's center-right New Democracy party, told POLITICO in an interview. "All issues have to be resolved simultaneously. This isn't just about a name, it's about irredentism, it's about changing the school books ... at the end of the day it's about changing their constitution to make sure that whatever is agreed is reflected in a constitutional change."

Western leaders support efforts by Macedonia's new government, which came to power last year, to resolve the dispute and build closer ties with the EU and NATO. But feelings about the issue run high among many Greeks, who believe the name Macedonia implies a territorial claim on parts of their country. Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Athens this month against their northern neighbor using the name.

Though in opposition, Mitsotakis has an important voice in the debate because it is unlikely Tsipras, who leads the left-wing Syriza party, could muster the necessary support for a deal in parliament without New Democracy's backing. Syriza's junior coalition partner, the nationalist Independent Greeks, have refused to support any solution that includes the word "Macedonia."

Mitsotakis insisted such deliberations could only begin once Skopje agreed to New Democracy's conditions.

"If they're not willing to change their constitution now, we as a party are not going to start a discussion," he said in an interview at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend.

Mitsotakis accused Tsipras of endangering the talks with the Skopje government by not taking steps to build a national consensus.

The Macedonia talks come as Greece, still reeling from its economic crisis, faces renewed tensions with Turkey in the Aegean over the sea border between the two countries. Earlier this month, Greek and Turkish coast guard vessels collided near a group of small, uninhabited islands that both sides claim.

Both countries blamed the other for the incident. Mitsotakis called on the EU and NATO to back Greece and help mediate the dispute.

"There's reason to be extremely concerned," he said. "There's been a significant increase in tension over the past year. Turkey is disputing Greek territory and has done so over the past 20 years, but it's doing so now in a much more aggressive manner. We need to be firm."